Wire carrier and stretcher



(No Model.)

W. J. McKEE.

WIRE CARRIER AND STRETUHER. I No. 3165161. Patented Apr. 21, 1885.

g T IiI .pil I 11 INVENTUR WITNESSES Y MGM v14 ATTORNEYS.

UNrTE STATES 0 Fries.

ATENT WIRE CARRIER AND STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,161, dated April 21, 1885.

Application filed June 27, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM J. MoKEE, of Avon, county of Hartford, Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Wire Carrier and Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for use in stretching plain or barbed wire for fencingand for rewinding the wire in removing fences, which can be operated with greater facility and less labor than the devices generally employed; and to these ends the invention consists of the carryingframe and mechanism hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved wire carrier and stretcher as set up for use. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 00 01;, Fig. 2.

The frame consists of side bars, a a, connected by cross-braces, and provided with the long arms or braces 12, that are pivoted at one end of side bars, a, so that they may be set to support the frame in an inclined position, as shown. Both the bars a and braces b have spiked ends 0 for entering the ground, and in the lower ends of bars a are wheels d d, carried by brackets d, placed in such position that they rest on the ground and support the frame when it is brought down to near ahorizontal position. 6 e are hooked bars for connecting the braces b to bars a to prevent their spreading.

Upon the frame, supported in boxes f, are shafts g g, fitted at one end with gear-wheels h h and with ratchet-wheels t i, that are engaged by pawls 7c, hung on the frame. The ends of shafts g are squared to receive crankhandles, and a stud, Z, on the frame receives a large gear-wheel, m, meshing with both wheels h, this wheel m alsohaving a handle for its operation.

In order to weaken the bars a as little as possible, and to permit convenient removal of the parts from the frame, only the bottom portion of boxes f are mortised into the bars, and the upper portions of the boxes are formed as straps f, having hooks at one end passing beneath staples n, and held down at their opposite ends by bands 0 around the bars a, which (N0 model.)

bands can be easily loosened to release the straps.

The shafts g are to carry the reels of wire, the shafts passing through their heads, and to connect the reels and shafts, so that they shall rotate together, the shafts have on them sliding disks 1), provided with sharp pins or spikes that can be forced into thewooden ends or heads of the reels.

To wire a fence, the reels are placed on the shafts, the ends of the wires secured to the post, and the machine then moved along the ground on the wheels d, the braces b or arms a being used as handles, or special handles may be provided. WVhen the wire has been run off to the extent desired, the frame is set upright, as shown, crank-handles are applied to shafts 9, wheel at being removed, and the shafts are turned to stretch the wires. The braces 12 will hold the frame against the strain, and the pawls It will prevent backward movement while the stretched wires are being secured to the posts, after which the apparatus is to be moved forward again. In this manner one man can run two, three, or more wires at once and construct a fence without assistance.

WVhen it is desired to run more than two wires, it will of course be necessary to provide for each wire an additional spool-shaft and its appurtenant parts.

For winding wire, the braces b are turned to the opposite side, and the wheel at is put in place so as to rotate'both shafts at once and wind the wire on the reels.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a Wire carrier and stretcher, the bars (4, having rollers d on the lower ends of their under sides, the spool-shafts gg and their operating mechanism, the braces b, hinged to the upper ends of the'bars a, the hooked bars 6 e, and the spikes c in the lower ends of the bars and braces, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a wire carrier and stretcher, of a frame, the shafts g, gear-wheels h and ratchets t thereon, pawls K, and the removable gear-wheelm, adapted to mesh with the said gears h h, whereby the wires may be stretched by or wound on the said shafts in the manner described.

Witnesses: WILLIAM J. MOKEE.

HENRY CLARK, TRUMAN B. MILLER. 

